Category Archives: Evaluation team composition

Specialist evaluators or content-free evaluators?

One of the continuing debates in evaluation is about the relative benefits of choosing an evaluator with significant content knowledge compared to a more experienced evaluator with little or no content knowledge.  As is often the case, the answer depends … Continue reading

Posted in Evaluation team composition | Tagged | 6 Comments

Alpine whaling? – Interesting developments in evidence-based policy, episode 2

While Japan has ‘scientific whaling’, Australia might be beginning a phase of ‘scientific alpine grazing’, reversing a policy of removing cattle from summer grazing in alpine national park in the name of research. (Thanks to a number of GenuineEvaluation readers … Continue reading

Posted in Adequate scope, Appropriate criteria and standards, Appropriate inference, Appropriate measurement, Appropriate reporting, Commissioning evaluation, Evaluation team composition, Evaluative questions & answers, The client's role, Use of evaluation, Values-based | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Australian book launch of ‘Purposeful Program Theory’, Canberra 17 March

After years working on this with my co-author Sue Funnell, I’m looking forward to the launch of the book Purposeful Program Theory: Effective Use of Theories of Change and Logic Models in Canberra next Thursday (Yes, on St Patrick’s Day). … Continue reading

Posted in Causal inference, Evaluation team composition, Evaluation Theory, Recommended books, Uncategorized, Use of evaluation | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

The importance of visible, high level commitment to evaluation

One of the favorite stories I tell about evaluation is about going to meet a senior manager to discuss evaluation and finding him standing on a table in the middle of an open-plan office, with the staff gathered around him, … Continue reading

Posted in Evaluation team composition, Government programs, Learning from failure, The client's role | 4 Comments

9 golden rules for commissioning a waste-of-money evaluation

There may well be some managers out there who have yet to experience the thrill of commissioning a total waste-of-money evaluation. Well, thankfully, your colleagues around the world have been working diligently on building a knowledge base just for you! Continue reading

Posted in Evaluation team composition, Learning from failure, The client's role | Tagged , , , , | 29 Comments